A committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine just released a comprehensive review of more than 800 peer reviewed studies about the human health effects of e-cigarettes. Specific conclusions reached by the committee include:

There is conclusive evidence that exposure to nicotine from e-cigarettes is highly variable and depends on the characteristics of the device and the e-liquid, as well as on how the device is operated.

There is substantial evidence that nicotine intake from e-cigarettes among experienced adult e-cigarette users can be comparable to that from conventional cigarettes.

There is substantial evidence that e-cigarette use results in symptoms of dependence on e-cigarettes.

There is moderate evidence that risk and severity of dependence is lower for e-cigarettes than for conventional cigarettes.

There is substantial evidence that e-cigarette use by youth and young adults increases their risk of ever using conventional cigarettes.

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E-Cigarettes have ingredients that have led to important questions about their short and long term health consequences for those who use them and bystanders. Due to the lack of regulation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the amount of nicotine contained in the e-cigarettes is uncertain.

Current research shows that:

Nicotine from e-cigarettes is absorbed by users and bystanders.

Nicotine is highly addictive.

Nicotine is especially a health danger to youth who use e-cigarettes. It may have long-term, negative effects on brain development and growth.

Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant women and their developing babies. Using an e-cigarette and even being around someone else using an e-cigarette can expose pregnant women to nicotine and other chemicals that may be toxic.

E-cigarette aerosol is not "water vapor." It contains nicotine and can contain other chemicals. It is not as safe as clean air.

The nicotine solution in e-cigarettes is not harmless “juice.” Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing the liquid through their skin or eyes.

Additional chemicals that are harmful or may be harmful have been found in some e-cigarettes. These substances include traces of metal, volatile organic compounds, and nitrosamines. The levels tend to be lower than in regular cigarettes, but there's no way to know what you're getting because e-cigarettes are not yet regulated.